i think this brinksmanship about the budget and the fiscal cliff is all just fine. i don't want to go over the cliff. i think it would be irresponsible. >> does the president want to go over? we got to listen to all the republicans and the conservative media today are saying president obama wants to go over the fiscal cliff because then taxes go up across the board. and then it's got to be done retroactively. >> which is not what the president wants, but there's a big difference between this fiscal cliff and the full faith and credit of the united states. the american government has never defaulted on its debt. and now there are some, not the majority of republicans but some on the extreme of the republican party and they seem to be in control, who seem to want to default on our debt. that's crazy. if they cannot be entrusted with the full faith and credit of the united states, they should not have that leverage. >> paul, where were the overtures though? where were the overtures with this deal that was presented? i mean, listen, you don't have to be mensa to know de